Kanji Segawa (Contemporary Dance)

Kanji Segawa is originally from Kanagawa, Japan. He began his modern dance training with his mother, Erika Akoh and studied ballet with Kan Horiuchi and Ju Horiuchi at Unique Ballet Theatre in Tokyo. In 1997, Mr. Segawa came to the U.S. under the Japanese Government Artist Fellowship to train at The Ailey School in New York City. While attending the school, he was awarded a Coca Cola scholarship.

Mr. Segawa is a member of Battleworks Dance Company (Artistic Director Robert Battle) since 2002. Mr. Segawa has also been performing with Mark Morris Dance Group since 2004 appearing in 5 full evening productions including Mr. Morris' new Romeo & Juliet as an original cast member. Most recently, he performed Cease Your Funning, a world premiere piece by Mr. Morris, touring in the production Off Kilter in Scotland, UK.

Mr. Segawa has appeared in several opera productions at the Metropolitan Opera and English National Opera in UK. He is also a former member of Alvin Ailey II and Jennifer Muller/The Works and has performed for Aszure and Artists(Artistic Director, Aszure Barton) and choreographer Jessica Lang. He is represented by MSA Talent Agency.

Mr. Segawa has taught and choreographed for prestigious institutions including at Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation (Ailey School, Ailey Camp, Arts in Education), American Ballet Theatre (Make a Ballet Program, Summer Intensive, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School), Joffrey Ballet School (Jazz&Contemporary Summer Intensive), Steps on Broadway, Brown University, Long Island University, Dance Bermuda, Saint Louis Ballet School, Booker T Washington Performing Arts School, Metropolitan Ballet Academy, among others.

Mr. Segawa has created numerous solos for auditions and competitions. With his solo works, the students have successfully been accepted to many prestigious institutions including The Julliard School, SUNY Purchase University, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Boston Conservatory, Point Park University, Texas Christian University, University of Richmond, among others. In 2007, his solo Bliss was performed by the presidential scholar for President George W. Bush at the NFAA Gala at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Mr. Segawa is a recipient of the Outstanding Choreography Award for Youth America Grand Prix in Philadelphia in 2009.

Mr. Segawa is Artistic Director of Dance Project New York, a project that provides educational workshops and performances in New York and Japan. DPNY's mission is to provide the Japanese community the experience of American dance while giving young generations of Japanese dancers ideas for career development in the Arts. www.dpny.org

1999 December

-Performed in New York for Igal Ferry's Peridance Ensemble at Sylvia and Danny Kays Playhouse. VVas highly praised with the photographed article on the Backstage and The New York Times.

2000 January

-Performed in Nancy, France for Max Luna III as the selected member of Alvin Alley American Dance Theater.

Currently taking an active part in Alley II (formerly Alvin Alley Repertory Ensemble) in New York.